[3tas4me]

Originally Posted by 2manyT/A'S

If they made that many.....somedoy either bought most of them and still has them ........or they were all shipped to Siberia.......

I've been looking at 78 T/A's for over 35 years and haven't seen alot of them......personally.....

That # has to be wrong.........

I remember the thread that was started on this subject a few years ago. If I remember, John Witzke confirmed the total number of W72 automatics to be what you are saying above. I believe that number is probably accurate however, like you, I too have never seen a lot of W-72 automatics on the market. I personally have owned two 1978 W-72 automatics with the second one being my current Y88. The W-72 automatic was available right at the start of 1978 production but was stopped before the end of the 1978 run. Since the Y88 was a mid year option, the early end of W-72/auto production meant few W-72 Y88's were built with automatics. I think you are probably correct that more 4-speed W-72 Y88's were built than automatic W-72 Y88's.

[68ragtop]

Originally Posted by 3tas4me

I remember the thread that was started on this subject a few years ago. If I remember, John Witzke confirmed the total number of W72 automatics to be what you are saying above. I believe that number is probably accurate however, like you, I too have never seen a lot of W-72 automatics on the market. I personally have owned two 1978 W-72 automatics with the second one being my current Y88. The W-72 automatic was available right at the start of 1978 production but was stopped before the end of the 1978 run. Since the Y88 was a mid year option, the early end of W-72/auto production meant few W-72 Y88's were built with automatics. I think you are probably correct that more 4-speed W-72 Y88's were built than automatic W-72 Y88's.

What is the build date of your car? I always thought it would interesting to have a registry of the Y88 W72 Automatics & see how far apart the dates get. Always guessed they had to be several weeks apart, not several months. I was under the assumption the automatics could no longer be ordered after some point in april of 78, or was it later than that?

My car was built in the first week of April. (04A on the cowl tag)

[johnta1]

I could possibly set up a registry like that.
But the problem is getting the people to actually respond to it.
Most people always say they want the info, but very few want to give the info up.

[2manyT/A'S]

Originally Posted by 68ragtop

What is the build date of your car? I always thought it would interesting to have a registry of the Y88 W72 Automatics & see how far apart the dates get. Always guessed they had to be several weeks apart, not several months. I was under the assumption the automatics could no longer be ordered after some point in april of 78, or was it later than that?

My car was built in the first week of April. (04A on the cowl tag)

I'd say that it must be one of the last ones built.......as I understand it,the cut off for ordering was sometime in March.

[68ragtop]

Originally Posted by 2manyT/A'S

I'd say that it must be one of the last ones built.......as I understand it,the cut off for ordering was sometime in March.

yep, I just looked it up & it was March 20th.

When could the Y88 option be ordered. I know none were built until late into the year, but were dealers taking orders anyway? Or was the car not able to be ordered right when the first 78's became available?


My Y88 W72 auto car has a strange unclear history. The car was built 1st week in April & everything matches that date including castings, door jamb sticker, etc. But this is were it gets weird. The car wasn't invoiced to the dealer until 8/03/78

Still wondering where the heck it was during those four months! The 2nd owner of the car (whom I keep in touch with) said he bought it from an employee/salesperson at the Pontiac dealership. It had 23K +/- at the time.

As far as I understand, even if it was purchased by a dealers employee, that dealer would have been invoiced as soon as the car was shipped to them. Was GM screwing around with my car somwhere? Maybe it had the snot beat out of it for a few months...... I wish I could find out.

My other Y88, was also built in April & was invoiced either on the same day, or the day after it was completed. So I am confused....

[3tas4me]

Originally Posted by 68ragtop

What is the build date of your car? I always thought it would interesting to have a registry of the Y88 W72 Automatics & see how far apart the dates get. Always guessed they had to be several weeks apart, not several months. I was under the assumption the automatics could no longer be ordered after some point in april of 78, or was it later than that?

My car was built in the first week of April. (04A on the cowl tag)

The build date on my car is 02C. Mine was built at the Norwood plant.

[68ragtop]

Originally Posted by 3tas4me

The build date on my car is 02C. Mine was built at the Norwood plant.

Wow, thats pretty early! I didn't realize there were any completed in February.

[Alvin]

Check out these Y88 pages from the Hogheads both detailed are 4-speeds

Norwood Build - "My Trans Am Page (My first Gold Edition)"
http://www.firebirdtransamparts.com/...m/781sty88.htm

Norwood Build - "1978 Y88 Gold Special Edition Trans Am (Brian's Y88)"
http://www.firebirdtransamparts.com/...ns_am_page.htm

[Alvin]

A Y88 W72 Auto for reference equipment and build dates:

"Trans Am Museum" previously sold listing

Authentic 1978 Y88 Gold Special Edition T-Top Trans Am with W72 400 Pontiac Engine and the WS6 Handling Package, Only 31,274 Actual 3 owner miles 400 v8/ Auto/ AC/ Rare Factory AM-FM-CB, Camel Deluxe Cloth/ PW/ Power Locks, Exxtremely ORIGINAL Car, 100% ORIGINAL interior that is still very fresh and color Vibrant with no Fading, this Car has had Proper Dry Storage with little to no light, THE original Steering Wheel And Original Gold Dash Bezel still look new, as well does the original Dash and console , interior is simply Amazing, 85% Original Paint with only the top of Pass Quarter panel touched up at original Selling Dealer before 1981, which is when the 2nd owner purchased the car, 2nd owner Kept till 1993 and 3rd owner kept till 2010 have all 3 titles, and Build Sheet and Window Sticker and all books Undercarraige virgin and Original, with the rear pan behind buper being factory light on paint and flawless, note ORIGINAL brake booster gold anidize still looks fresh,( because dry storage), engine Bay and Paint all Original and very clean, Yes these are the Original Wheels to this car, , Paint is still very Shiny and excellent condition, All Decals are Original and in very nice condition, no dye work had to be done on interior, very unusual and telling you that this one is a very nice example of Original, car drives Absolutely like New, Trunk still Has Original Trunk mat and splatter paint and spare tire and speaker and speaker box , get my point, nice untouched Y88 indeed

http://www.transammuseum.com/1978_PO...131645475.veh#

[68ragtop]

Originally Posted by Alvin

Norwood Build - "1978 Y88 Gold Special Edition Trans Am (Brian's Y88)"
http://www.firebirdtransamparts.com/...ns_am_page.htm

I recall seeing the picture of the T/A backed up to the fence before. Im guessing this picture & story has been out there fro at least 10 years? great story behind it.

It so true how in those stories (especially the first one) where the owner thought nothing of changing the engine. That doesn't surprise me at all. I would have done the same thing. I am not sure if i knew vin numbers were stamped on engine blocks, & surely didn't care if it stayed original back then.

[Alvin]

I've been digging into my archives searching for the build sheet of a '78 W72 Auto non-WS6 TA I parted out in the '80s. Although not a y88 (Martinique Blue) it WAS an Auto W72 400 Pontiac TA.
As I recall, it did NOT have the blacked out rear taillight bezels like my then daily driver Martini '78 400 Auto (non-W72) which was a late yr build...so the X7 Auto was an early build.
IIRC - taillight black paint was begun sometime around June of '78 as a prelude to the '79 smoke blackout taillight treatment. Yes?

Couple of yrs ago I drove to N. TX and bought a complete carb to oil pan X7 W72 Auto 400 Pontiac TA engine...which is still in the inventory. Fun researching what makes them special and often overlooked Pontiac Performance engines.

Check this W72 related blog out http://phscollectorcarworld.blogspot...codes-and.html